Chen Yi was fast, Wuji was tough, but the halberd was both fast and tough!
With a single swing of the halberd, the golden cauldron phantom surrounding Immortal Emperor Wuji’s dharma avatar trembled violently!
It must be known that Chen Yi possessed immense strength—what he lacked was only a method to counter high-tier mechanisms. Once he broke free from their entanglement and closed the distance, it would spell disaster!
This was akin to high-tier mechanisms being like a sturdy net. No matter how strong a fish might be, once ensnared, the net would only tighten further, draining the fish’s strength until it was ultimately crushed.
But conversely, if the net failed to trap the fish, that powerful fish would slap the fisherman across the face with its mighty tail!
And now, Wuji was that fisherman. He had finally managed to net Chen Yi, this big fish, only for him to suddenly shrink and slip through the gaps, sneaking up close before slamming his halberd right into Wuji’s face!
To demonstrate his sincerity in this one-on-one duel, Chen Yi even held back one of his five-star clones, refusing to let it ambush Wuji for a finishing blow.
He wanted a fair fight, to better familiarize himself with high-tier mechanisms, and even to uncover more of their loopholes!
"Good, good, good! It seems I’ve underestimated you yet again!"
Taking a direct hit from the halberd, Wuji was furious. After swiftly refining the Great Luo essence of the Time-Reversal Dragon Clan, his Immortal Emperor dharma avatar solidified, its features sharpening as its eyes slowly opened.
In an instant, Chen Yi felt an overwhelming pressure surge forth, an oppressive might that pushed him outward, making it impossible to close the distance for melee combat.
He swung his halberd with terrifying force, but the endless waves of pressure remained unbroken—soft yet unyielding, overcoming hardness with flexibility. The layered pressure filled every crevice in the domain, instantly forcing Chen Yi out of his stealth state.
"As expected of an Immortal Emperor, you adapted so quickly. But... this state of yours can’t last long, can it?"
"It’s more than enough to suppress you!"
Wuji’s gaze turned sharp as his dharma avatar raised a palm.
"Five Elements Converge, All Qi Transformed!"
In an instant, a colossal palm phantom materialized, its fingers like mountains, its palm like the earth itself, seizing Chen Yi in an attempt to refine him!
Though the palm appeared illusory, it was flawless—even if Chen Yi dispersed his five-star clone again, escape was impossible.
But so what?
If the high-tier mechanisms targeting him were too difficult to dismantle immediately, why not counter mechanisms with mechanisms?
Earlier, he had merely wanted to test a theory. Now that he had his answer, it was time to end this farce of a duel.
After all, he only fought battles he was certain to win, ensuring every possible advantage before acting.
"Time Substitution, Disaster Transference!"
Hidden within the mist of causality, another five-star clone activated the Time-Alteration Disk!
Only mechanisms could counter mechanisms!
Though this Dao Ancestor-level treasure was far inferior to a Chaos Supreme Treasure, it could still affect beings of that tier—and wasn’t an Immortal Emperor just an exceptionally powerful Dao Ancestor?
Even if Wuji’s mechanisms were superior, he was merely a wisp of will descending, his power limited. It would be difficult for him to block the Time-Alteration Disk’s rule-based intrusion.
"Hah! Trying the same trick again? Useless!"
Yet Wuji was prepared.
His dharma avatar shuddered, and the golden cauldron phantom expanded abruptly, enveloping the domain and cutting off all rule-based infiltration!
The golden cauldron phantom was the manifestation of the All-Encompassing Cauldron, its mechanisms far surpassing Dao Ancestor-level treasures. Even as a mere projection, the Time-Alteration Disk couldn’t breach it quickly.
Of course, there was more than just one Dao Ancestor-level treasure here—there was even a mysterious Chaos Supreme Treasure!
Wuji knew full well he likely couldn’t deal with this little monster today, but he couldn’t leave empty-handed.
He had to force the little freak to reveal more of that Chaos Supreme Treasure’s abilities, to uncover its origins and prepare countermeasures.
This was a necessary step to ensure absolute victory in the coming tribulation!
He refused to scramble for solutions only when the blade was at his neck—he demanded total dominance!
Just like now, knowing full well the little monster had acquired two Dao Ancestor-level treasures from Ling Xiao, Wuji had prepared defenses to render them useless!
Buzz buzz buzz!!!
Under the Time-Alteration Disk’s influence, the golden cauldron trembled violently.
But clearly, in this clash of mechanisms, the disk couldn’t bypass the cauldron’s defenses in time to swap out the five-star clone trapped in Wuji’s grasp.
"Tch, still not enough?" Chen Yi sighed in disappointment.
Wuji was truly troublesome—not only was he a master of mechanisms, but he was also cautious, layering contingency after contingency after a single setback.
If not for those thick safety measures, things might have gone badly.
No choice—the open cards had been played. Time for the hidden ones.
"Borrowing Power, Ling Xiao, Aid Me!"
From within the mist of causality, Chen Yi raised the little golden dragon high.
Earlier, Wuji had tried to borrow Ling Xiao’s power, only for the little dragon to intercept it. Yet the gathered Dao essence of Ling Xiao hadn’t dissipated—it had been suppressed into dormancy.
Now, when Chen Yi invoked it, he could summon Ling Xiao’s dharma avatar!
As for whether Ling Xiao would agree... if he’d lent power to Wuji, would he refuse the little golden dragon?
Buzz!
In an instant, a hazy azure dharma avatar materialized, facing Wuji’s golden Immortal Emperor avatar!
Most couldn’t withstand an Immortal Emperor’s might, even from a mere wisp of will.
But Ling Xiao was different. Though no longer an Immortal Emperor, the influence he’d accumulated over nine epochs hadn’t faded—he still possessed the foundation to clash with one head-on!
Infused with spirit by the little golden dragon, the azure Ling Xiao avatar was nothing like when Wuji had forcibly borrowed his power. Now, facing Wuji’s golden avatar, it burned with fury!
Buzz buzz buzz!!!
The azure Ling Xiao avatar raised a fist and smashed the golden cauldron phantom—the defense even the Time-Alteration Disk couldn’t breach crumbled instantly!
Truly, only an Immortal Emperor could oppose an Immortal Emperor. Ling Xiao might be wicked, but he was no weakling!
Seizing the opening, the Time-Alteration Disk’s power surged into the domain, swapping out the five-star clone captured by Wuji’s avatar.
The replacement? A mountain of feces from a gorilla enclosure.
Oh, you like cleanliness?
Then enjoy this!
Squelch~
Unlike Chen Yi’s five-star clone, the gorilla dung mountain was soft—under the crushing pressure of Wuji’s five-finger domain, it exploded into a storm of filth!
Wuji: "......"
After a long pause, he silently wiped away the floating gorilla excrement scattered everywhere.
Gazing at the Ling Xiao Dharma Idol still relentlessly assaulting the Supreme Domain, and Chen Yi hiding behind it with his halberd in hand, he let out a faint sigh:
"Ah, why must you force my hand?"
Chen Yi met his gaze calmly. "Enough with the act. It's over."
The Yin-Yang Daoist and the Time-Reversal Dragon Clan's Great Luo Dao Fruits had already burned out, while the Great Luo experts of the other three ancient clans had been displaced and transferred away. There was no more fuel left to replenish.
Thus, though Wuji still appeared radiant and invincible, he was already at his limit—like a candle in the wind, ready to be snuffed out with the slightest breath.
Wuji fell silent for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter. "Hahaha! Chen Yi, oh Chen Yi, you truly are something!"
"This time, I admit defeat. I was still one step short of uncovering your secrets. But next time, I hope you’ll still be laughing in the end!"
As soon as the words left his lips, the strand of will Wuji had projected spontaneously ignited.
Chen Yi made no move to stop it—because it was futile. There was no way to restrain even a sliver of will from an Immortal Emperor wielding the pinnacle of mechanisms!
By the same logic, Wuji couldn’t forcibly leave behind any of his avatars either. If cornered, he’d simply self-destruct, leaving his true form completely unharmed!
And likewise, Ling Xiao was no different. If he wanted to leave, the path was already beneath his feet!
"Little freak, you’ve done well. Keep it up!"
Suddenly, a ripple of intent surged from the Ling Xiao Dharma Idol. A flicker of sentience flashed through its vacant eyes—a reflection of Ling Xiao’s will!
After delivering this praise, the Ling Xiao Dharma Idol promptly collapsed, giving Chen Yi no chance to respond.
Chen Yi: "......"
Why did those words sting so much?
That damn Ling Xiao—was he really treating him like some dumb workhorse to shoulder all the blame?
"Keep it up"?
Keep it up my !
Sitting on a treasure trove of epochal riches yet too stingy to share more than crumbs, just to taunt him?
Just wait. Once he dealt with Wuji, Ling Xiao would be next!
Wuji was the reigning Immortal Emperor—hard to handle. But Ling Xiao? A has-been emperor forced to hide in the depths of the River of Time? That’d be a piece of cake!
't think I'm that capable, I'm just trying my best to stay alive. I've been kind all my life, never did anything bad, yet worldly suffering spared me not one bit. The human world is a nice place, but I won't come back in my next life. A kind young man, who wanted to just get by singing, but through repeated deceits and betrayals, has gone down an irredeemable path.
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
